in vino veritas
by Lady Azura
Summary: In wine, there is truth.


Summary: In wine, there is truth.

Disclaimer: Don't own _Degrassi_. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: Don't ask where this came from.

X

**in vino veritas****  
><strong>_**By: Lady Azura**_

X

She's a wreck.

He knows this the moment he opens the door and finds her standing on his front porch. Her hair and clothes are dishevelled, and her eyes are glassy and bloodshot. She's swaying slightly, as if she's having trouble keeping her balance, and when she steps forward, he realizes exactly why: she's been drinking. There's something ironic about Clare Edwards, of all people, being drunk, and he's torn between pitying her and being disappointed, and simply not caring at all. In fact, he knows he shouldn't care at all. He has long since cut himself off from the world and knows he should just shut the door and go about the rest of his evening pretending like she never showed up at all, but seeing her standing before him, in nothing but a floral-print dress and flip-flops, shivering and looking so utterly vulnerable, makes him decide against it.

"What do you want?" He finally asks, keeping his face unreadable - even though Clare is probably too intoxicated to read him anyway.

She opens her mouth to answer, then closes it, her gaze faltering.

He grows impatient.

"You should go home, Clare." He tells her.

Almost instantly, she glances up, shaking her head furiously.

"No… I don't… I…" She fumbles with her words, and Eli feels as though he's walked into an episode of the _Twilight Zone_ because she's usually so composed, even while upset. He chalks it up to the alcohol. At last, she manages to string together a coherent sentence. "I want to be here… with you…"

Eli's heart soars at her declaration, but he refuses to get his hopes up. He's still bitter.

"You don't know what you're saying, Clare. Leave." He orders, more harshly than intended. "It's what you're good at."

He's about to close the door when a choked sob escapes her.

"I'm sorry…" She whimpers, her eyes welling up with tears.

He sighs loudly, running a hand through his hair.

"What's done is done, Clare." He says, more softly than before. Behind her, he can see dark clouds rolling in. "You need to get home… before it rains… your parents will be worried -"

"They don't care about me!" Clare suddenly explodes, cutting him off. "They're never home, and when they are, all they do is fight! It's like I don't even exist!"

And before he can even react, she's on her knees, her arms wrapped around herself, rocking back and forth as tears stream down her cheeks. "I can't… I can't do this… I…"

A loud crack echoes above them, and a flash of lightening rips through the sky. Eli swallows hard, his mind racing as he tries to figure out what to do, before crouching down to his ex-girlfriend's level.

"Come on…" he murmurs, helping her up and leading her inside.

.

.

.

It's been an hour, and Clare's finally sobered up for the most part. She sits at his kitchen table, clutching her fifth glass of water, while he leans back against the counter, looking anywhere but at her.

"Thank you." Her voice shatters the silence that has fallen on them.

"Yeah," he murmurs, staring at the floor.

She sighs. "I'm really sorry about this… I don't know what I was thinking, coming here. I didn't mean to… impose or anything…"

"What happened?" He asks, after a brief pause. "Why were you drinking, Clare?"

A bitter laugh falls from Clare's lips and a grimace forms on her face.

"A lot of reasons," she mutters, tracing the rim of the cup she's holding with her thumb. "My parents… aren't even trying to get along anymore. They're never home because they want to avoid each other, and when they are home, all they do is argue. They act like children… it's ridiculous." She shakes her head, rolling her eyes. "And my mom… don't get me started on her. She's been trying to set me up with Jake - my friend, from when I was like… seven. He's just moved back to Toronto with his dad." She elaborates, before launching back into her story. "Anyway, so she's been pressuring me to go out with him… and I just want her to stop, you know? We don't like each other like that, and we probably never will."

She sighs again, and Eli can see clearly the frustration etched across her face.

As she reaches up to comb her fingers through her hair, his eyes narrow, and then widen.

"Clare… what happened to your ring?"

Clare lowers her hand and stares blankly at it.

"I took it off." She tells him. "I don't need it anymore."

"You…" He swallows hard.

"I had sex." She finishes, nodding slowly. "With Jake. I thought… I could move on, if I did… you know… since my mom wants us together, and so… I…" She takes a deep breath, trying to hold back tears, before meeting his gaze. "I'm a mess, Eli. These last couple of months have been… hell. I thought being with Jake would help me get over you, but… all I could think about, the whole time… was you. I wish you had been my first."

"Clare, don't…"

"No, please… just listen…" She begs, and reluctantly he obeys. She glances down, unable to meet his eyes as she continues. "I've never felt this way about anyone… and I know you probably hate me, and think I'm some kind of slut for giving my virginity to a boy I haven't seen since in years… but I love you. I'm sorry about… everything; for not handling it better… for breaking my promise… but I just need you to know that I still love you… and I always will."

Her voice cracks, and she clears her throat, blinking away the tears that threaten to spill. "I'm pathetic."

Eli shakes his head.

"Clare, no… don't say that… you're not -"

"Yes, I am. Look at me, Eli!" She exclaims. "I'm a wreck! I had sex with someone I'm not even in love with, and I showed up on my ex-boyfriend's doorstep drunk out of my mind because I can't deal with my parents fighting anymore."

She looks out the window, and then slowly rises to her feet.

"It's stopped raining. I'll get out of your face… I'm sorry for wasting your time." She murmurs. "Thank you for letting me stay."

She comes to a halt in front of him, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

"Goodbye, Eli." She says softly, brushing past him.

Before she can reach the door, however, Eli reaches out and catches her by the wrist. Pulling her close, he brings his lips to hers.

.

.

.

He doesn't know how they get there, but suddenly they're in his room, kissing desperately. His fingers are entangled in her curls and she's gripping his shoulders, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist as they stumble over to his unmade bed. His arousal pulses against her as he lowers her onto his bed, kissing her soundly. Clare moans into his mouth, bucking her hips frantically.

Eli breaks the kiss for air, just as Clare flips him over with surprising strength. She licks her swollen lips as she moves to straddle his waist, planting a knee on either side of him. Her dress rides up, exposing her milky thighs to him, and a loud moan erupts from him when her mouth latches onto the crook of his neck and sucks greedily. Once she leaves her mark, she draws back, pulling her dress up over her head and tossing it behind her, leaving her in nothing but a white bra and matching panties - plain, innocent, and entirely Clare.

She swats his hand away when he tries to touch her, much to his dismay.

"Tonight is all about you." She murmurs, taking his earlobe into her mouth and sucking gently.

Eli moans, his eyes drooping shut. She leaves a trail of kisses from his ear to his eyelids, down to his chin and all along his jaw line before continuing south. Somehow she manages to get his shirt off, and then she's kissing her way down his chest. His stomach flutters as she nips softly at his skin, but it isn't until she reaches the hem of his pants that he opens eyes and looks down at her. He sucks in a sharp breath when she traces the bulge between his legs, a small smile on her face.

Hooking her fingers in the elastic band of his sweatpants and boxers, she slowly pulls them off. He sighs as his arousal is finally freed, and watches Clare intently. She bites her lip as she stares at him, blushing, her eyes uncertain. Then she's reaching out, wrapping her small hand around the base of his length and lowering her head.

"O-oh…" Eli's eyes roll back as she engulfs him in her warm mouth for the first time.

As she squeezes and strokes what won't fit into her mouth, he throws his head back, moaning loudly as pleasure consumes him.

His eyes snap open when she suddenly stops, and he's about to protest when she smirks at him, crawling back up until she's straddling him once more. Eli sits up, leaning back against his headboard while Clare reaches behind her and unhooks her bra. He swallows hard, gazing down at her breasts, and then she's lifting her hips and removing her underwear, leaving her completely bare.

Before he can properly commit the image to memory, Clare's lips find his once more, and as their tongues meet she lowers herself onto him. They both cry out, breaking the kiss, and Eli watches Clare's face contort in pain as her body adjusts to him. After a moment, her eyes flutter open and she locks gazes with him. Then she starts to move.

"Eli…" she whimpers, lifting herself up only to lower herself back down.

"Clare," his voice is strained, and he moves his hands to her hips, gripping them. "You feel… so good…"

"Y-yeah?"

Eli nods, and Clare buries her face in the junction between his neck and shoulder as she rocks against him. Eli squeezes his eyes shut, clenching his jaw and holding back his moans. He doesn't want to finish too early, but it's been so long since he's been with someone, and as Clare's walls tighten around him, he knows it's only a matter of time before he loses it. Reaching down, he teases the bundle of nerves between her legs, eliciting a sharp cry from the girl on top of him.

"Eli!" She gasps, moving her hips faster. "Ah… ah!"

Then she stills, tilting her head back. His name is on her lips, but it dissolves into a series of high-pitches sighs as she comes undone.

The sight of Clare Edwards flushed and writhing in absolute pleasure is enough to make him lose control. He can feel Clare shuddering against him as he comes, and strokes her sides lovingly.

After about a minute, she slumps forward. "Eli…"

Eli wraps his arms around her, holding her close.

"Thank you," she murmurs against his skin as she drifts off to sleep.

Too tired to say anything, Eli only nods, before closing his eyes.

He expects Clare to be gone by the time the sun rises.

When he wakes up the next morning, however, she's still there, in his arms.

X

**FIN**

X

**… I didn't know how else to end it.**

** Anyway, this just randomly popped into my head earlier today, so… I really don't know how to explain where the idea came from. **

** I hope you guys enjoyed, though.**

** Please ****REVIEW**** and tell me what you think!**


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